Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-08


egates, VINO were first to appear, avaiied them
selves OF the opportunities Of their early arrival
obliged TO be content with back seats The electric
lights were turned on, and dispeled the semi
darkness that pervaded the church. About half
past O'CLOCK President Dodge, followed by the
gentlemen who were TO take part In the exercises
appeared on the platform. Mr.. Dodge announced,
In explanation Of the delay in beginning the meet
ing, that the hour OF O'Clock did not seem to be
convenient one for the delegates to assemble. At
any rate, he sad that they were not present. He
| God Almighty" and the audience rose to their
feet While singing Rev.J. q. Butler, the pastor OF
the Lutheran Memorial Church OF this city, read
selection from the Scriptures, and Rev. DIR. Cham
berlain, OF Brooklyn, led I'm prayer.
Mr.. Justice Harlan was then introduced as the
presiding oificer OF the session, and without any
formal speech, announced the subject Of the first
paper,
"rERus TO THE FAMILY"
which, he said, was an important one to the
nation and to the Individual
He then introduced Rev. S. W. Dike of Auburn
dale, Mass, who said that the present time was
putting the moral forces OF the country TO the
test: Better churches and better schools were
needed, he said but at the foundation OF all the
welfare OF the family was important, He spoke OF
the divorce laws and the prevalence of divorce In
various states of the country. In fifteen states
had been ascertained, and the percentage ran all
the way from TO 12 and IA per cent. The latter,
ana ne SAD was the percentage In California ne
children In families, and said that no physician
attributed this low brth-rate TO decline In the
reproductive functions. The statistics show the
speaker said, that foreign born women have larger
families than the native women.
THE EVIL OF DIVORCE
has increased rapidly during the past twenty
years, and in some states 1t is double what 1t was
twenty years ago. The high rate not alone applies
to the cities but to the country districts Even In
Intelligent New England the rate is very high
This evil of divorce is sapping the welfare OF the
family, and then in addition is the increase CT dis
1 Tnnr rYia and 1sxr 1sl,s.
speaker maintained that the present marriage
laws were Inadequate and compared the security
gwen 1,e WIN tnat given 0y tne reaiestade laws
marriage afford no such security and in large nun.
Der OF States no reord is made OF marriages, and
no papers legally recorded are required. The divorce
laws are very elastic and vary in the different
States In some States divorce can be had by one
party TO the marriage without the consent OF the
other. Congress has made marriage laws for
Utah. but neglected Dakota and the capital Of the
country. In the whole matter Of family laws he
thought that this country was where 1t was fifty
years ago. The speaker then considered the periis
OF the family in relation to
SOCIAL ORDER.
He maintained that the family was not only the
germ Of all social institutions, but the abiding
element. No other factor enters into Industrial
prosperity more largely than the home, and the
study q The family affords the foundation of all
social Qfestfona But fe is this institution, he said
CT which we are so careless In our laws and
tells more strongly upon the family than
upon any other social relation. He pointed
out that the neglect OF the family
rnainta,naa Sat tho aSrancamant or bnma IN, rnn
ton had not kept pace with that or the church,
eney enc 20 Obtained d in the SHndaVeseheoI WORK. % The
danger arose from giving 10 the sunday school the
entire work and The neglect OF what should be done
In the family. The church and the sunday school
seemed to be relied upon. he said. for social re-
form.
CLOSING THE SALOONS,
ne, .nougnt. woala no, entirely cure oaa hones,
-, a.. -. .1'., " 49,, -. - - =. -,
@ in nou -, ei,e M a. " one
none: ~ , - legaraea oy sIaIs'icials
as greater evli than even the great curse OF IN
ocmpefanCe. Inc speaker elousnt enab luere was
work for the Alliance in showing to the public the
perlls 10 tne FAMILY from divorce ana IN elnpna.
SIZING Ihe importance OF the family In the social
prooIems presenter Ior soutloD He urged the I'M
portance OF the scentinc study or the family as az
.SSiutns sne neahs ior Graphing Win 'ne e|is VI
The reading or the paper was listened To with at
tention and appiauded at its close.
THE SOCIAL. VICE.
In introducing the reader OF the next uaper Mr.
.r1,e 80 - -. 80 pep. % va,
Justice Harian sald tnat the suDJect, "Ine Social
vice. was not an agreeable one, but In Its I'm
portance and bearing upon great social problems
was worthy OF great CONSIDERATION. He then In
troduced COLD II Greene or Hartford Conn VINO Is
speaker with 1orclbe style ana clear enuncatlon
OF the individual to society, aud maintained that
True CONCEPTION @ ~ couad noI oe aao OF man as
unt he spoke OF tine FAMILY andHs fundamental
S naSue IA sno sucia, mUllu. E'eIy npecies vi us
the famtiV and he said that the ana~rh,st recoS.
niaed that the family must first he destroyed be-
fore his ideas could become prevalent He said
That the production ana nurture OF the Individual
was possible under the best circumstances only In
the family.
THE BOND OF THE FAMILY,
the sneaker thonyht. WAS the pnre afyecfion and
,,.aiash a,o,,o,, =, hnsn.no "a ,,,a o,,a ,.,har
unscihsn oo'otion Vi husoanu anu "he anu ia'hor
and mother. union spr1nging from base consfd-
eratiOnS or from passion could not result In the
family In the highest sense OF that word He spoke
OF the evil Influences wnlch surrounded the family
ike cloud ana said That doors stood open TO al
lure the steps OF cur sons and the tempers ostled
US In the public streets. He referred 10 indecent
publications, the low wages or shop girls, which
exposed them 10 the temptations OF poverty, and
then mentloned some OF tne evils which ne Sald
were not generally thought OF: the speaker tnen
described the evil Influences OF the promiscuOuS
mingling brought about in
-s- THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
IT. was in this wav that children hacana familiar
,.s 80, =, - "a ,ol, =, .."S- -, -
~ s,s ~. - ..,a-u.a. ee "o ~
tneir ch,Idren Whom 1Son~ht nf The conse
ouences or without proper Appreciation OF the
possible results, to the public schools and sub
1ected them TO the associations there. The speaker
then referred to the evil OF the sensational itera-
ture which was now SO prevalent. He said that
the newspaper OF the sensational character divides
| the 1eld with the novel, II such newspapers had
every source the gossip and scandal OF the world.
No arOra alcn M